


Trapped

by KillTheNoise



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Claustrophobia, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-04
Updated: 2015-10-04
Packaged: 2018-04-24 20:27:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4934155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KillTheNoise/pseuds/KillTheNoise
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was not supposed to be like this. All Levi had to do was get to work and start dealing with shitty people like he usually did, but the elevator had to stop working and the damn brat just had to start panting. He was a businessman for Christ’s sake not a fucking therapist!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trapped

**Author's Note:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: Claustrophobia. Read with caution! Also, I know Hanji's gender is not clearly stated, but she'll be a woman in this. Just thought I should mention it.
> 
> Happy reading!

Levi stole one last glance through the window at the world outside and the second he saw the same storm from 10 minutes ago, he knew he was better off calling in sick that day. But what he did was clench his teeth, turn around, grab the keys for his apartment which were on the counter and -albeit rather reluctantly- make his way towards the exit. He locked the door, but his paranoia forced him to check one more time before he actually left. The drive to work was a drag.

Sadly, that was how adult life worked. If he didn't show up, people wouldn't get shit done. He hated it when people didn't get their shit done.

The thought somewhat motivated him but couldn't possibly warm him, so he had to physically stop himself from shivering when he opened the door and was almost pushed inside by the violent wind. He hated the rain with a passion. The petite blonde woman from the reception desk smiled and greeted him like she usually does, but this morning his mood was terrible, so he only gave one sharp nod before he hurried for the elevator.

He pushed the small button and started waiting. Just his luck. The day merely started, but he already knew it was going to be a shitty one. He just felt it in his gut.

Stepping inside, he pressed the button in order to get to his office which was on the highest floor and passed a hand through his hair in an attempt to fix it. His mind was already forming the scenario for that particular day because, after all, he was a creature of habit. He'd get in his office at 8:15, no sooner or later than that. He wouldn't even have time to drag his breath before his lively secretary barged in.. She would either talk too loud or too much, causing Levi to become frustrated. He'd wonder why the hell he gave her the job in the first place, but he knew that by now Hanji was probably the closest thing he had to a friend. What would follow was another ordinary boring day at work.

What he couldn't predict was the hand violently slammed between the elevator doors as they were closing, startling Levi a bit though he didn't show it.

The elevator doors opened and the second the person stepped in, Levi couldn't help but give him a once over, his eyebrows furrowed. He looked like he was one of those rebellious, skater, 'cool' kids Levi almost always saw on his way home. He had messy brown hair, but Levi knew how things worked with brats these days. He knew he purposely made it seem that way and spending extra minutes in front of the mirror in order to make your hair look 'edgy' didn't make any sense to him. Next were the kid's big headphones and he felt as if his eyes were being raped by that incredibly bright green. He guessed that was the point. He also wore a black hoodie with some weird ass pattern on it, a pair of dark navy jeans and green sneakers- _Oh, they are meant to compliment the headphones how fucking cute_ \- and Levi had to wonder what the hell was this brat doing here because as he was, he looked out of place.

Of course, he didn't voice his thoughts but instead watched the doors of the elevator finally closing.

When the brat shamelessly started sneaking glances at him not even a second after, he felt himself becoming frustrated because he had to look _down_ at him in order to do it. The kid was taller than him and by almost a head too. It didn't bother him because almost everyone was, but his day was already shitty enough and he really wasn't in the mood to deal with a shitty brat. The more he thought about it, he realized part of him wanted him to be a smartass about it, because that gave him an excuse to put him in his place.

Every time the brat looked in his direction he'd stare back as if to dare him to say something about their height difference, but the kid would immediately look away. Every time Levi had to hide his frustration. It was like he was on to him or something. But that wasn't possible, was it?

Levi didn't have time to entertain that thought because one floor before the one he was supposed to get off the elevator came to an abrupt halt and he had to put a hand on the side wall in order to steady himself. As a low, worrisome sound could be heard, the lights flickered for a few seconds before setting on a yellow dim light that thankfully still made vision possible. Five seconds after that and he concluded the elevator wasn't going to move again, at least not soon anyway.

"Are you serious right now?" he couldn't help but utter in a frustrated sigh and checked his watch. 8:14 meant he couldn't possibly be in his office at the hour he usually was in and that made him incredibly upset. However, a voice broke his thoughts before he could think more about the fact.

"Wait, wait. We're _stuck_?" The voice was alarmed, Levi concluded, but he merely shook his head and resisted the urge to give himself a facepalm. No, they were having a tea party, nice company but the tea was kind of bad.

"Of course we're fucking stuck, brat." Out of all the people he could've been stuck in the elevator with.. He didn't turn around right away, not even when he heard movement behind him because he figured it was his try to pass the time or something. "Look, last time that happened I was late for a meeting, but that being said it shouldn't take long-"

The words died on his tongue.

Before him stood the kid curled up in a ball, arms tightly wrapped around his knees. His eyes were closed, his breathing was kind of irregular and his face was twisted in a fear he was desperately trying to suppress. Levi had the urge to ask him what the hell was he doing before he felt his own eyes widen.

Oh, dear God. This kid. He was claustrophobic, wasn't he? Great, _fucking_ great.

It was not supposed to be like this. All Levi had to do was get to work and start dealing with shitty people like he usually did, but the elevator had to stop working and the damn brat just had to start panting. He was a businessman for Christ’s sake not a fucking therapist! How do you even deal with someone having a panic attack?

Levi wasn't sure.

What he did know was that he had to try something at least, seeing how close to hyperventilating the kid was.

_Okay, okay, just stay calm. Don't let him see you have no fucking clue what you're doing._

With that thought in mind Levi carefully approached him, not even thinking about the fact that he was going to sit on the dirtiest fucking thing there was, an elevator floor. He noticed that the brat didn't even mind him, not even when he got on his level.

"Oi, brat-" he resisted the urge to grimace at how harsh his voice sounded to his own ears. Maybe he could try talking a bit more softly? "What's your name?" he continued in what he hoped it would be a more soothing tone, but just like before he received no indication he was being heard. So _that_ was how he wanted things to be. Levi gave him a rather sudden push and the kid was close enough to the right corner so his shoulder collided with the side wall.

The push wasn't violent by any stretch of the imagination, but it was abrupt and that seemed to snap him out of his panic for a few seconds. He turned his head to look at Levi, letting him see a slight frustration along the obvious anxiety in his look. So the brat could _still_ be annoyed with him, huh?

"I asked you a question you little shit, don't just crouch like that. What is your name?"

"Eren.." This time the answer came almost instantly and even though Eren's tone was rather sullen, Levi nodded. He vaguely noticed the name seemed familiar to him, but due to the situation they were in, he pushed his confusion at the back of his mind.

"Well Eren, I'm Levi and I want to know why the hell did you get on an elevator if you're claustrophobic? Are you _that_ much of a dumbass?"

What he previously anticipated was true. This kid was a feisty one.

Eren's features twisted in anger at Levi's words. "F-Fuck you, I'm not.." Was the kid seriously going to deny that he was claustrophobic? Yeah, that was a good one. What Levi didn't like was that he suddenly stopped talking after he swore and even stopped looking at him altogether. His breathing wasn't as bad as before, but the shaking in his shoulders didn't lessen. On top of it all Levi thought he saw Eren's eyes becoming kind of watery and that wasn't meant to happen unless...

Oh, God no. He'd do anything else but that.

When he called Eren a dumbass all he wanted was to give him an outlet, -he'd be the kid's punching bag, if needed- but now Eren was possibly crying. He didn't _do_ comforting. He just didn't know how to. He remembered frantically calling Hanji in his office once when the woman he was supposed to meet with started crying in front of him and it's been a while since he felt that weirded out or lost about anything. The worse thing that could happen was the brat thinking he really was a jerk for calling him that in this situation.

He felt an unpleasant sensation in his gut when he heard a sound Eren let out next -something that was _dangerously_ close to a whimper- so he did the best thing he could do.

Levi started reaching for Eren in order to pull him closer and he couldn't remember a time he was dejected when he was right about something; he looked into Eren's eyes and he had to give it to him. At least he had determination because those tears just refused to roll down his cheeks.

"What are you doing?" Eren's unsure voice could be heard next and it made Levi want to let out scoff. _What's it look like I'm doing?_

"I'm hugging you." he said simply and watched how Eren's eyes narrowed while looking at him. Then, the little shit had the nerve to open his mouth in order to argue with him and that was the reason Levi had to cut him off. So he only had his arm on the kid's shoulders. He knew what it was supposed to be and that was what mattered. "Well it would've been a hug if you went with it, so whose fault is it?"

"I-"

"It's okay, just let it happen." Levi shushed him and although it was obvious Eren didn't like being interrupted, he didn't object. "For the record, I'm fine with it."

"But you really don't need to-"

" _Eren_ , for fuck's sake just accept it. Don't make it awkward." Levi retorted, his tone probably harsher than it should've been and Eren gave him a look that basically told him that this already was awkward. Levi knew that. However, he was pleased to see Eren giving in, finally resting his head on his shoulder. "Try to relax." he whispered to him and he heard Eren sucking in a breath and letting it out slowly in a futile attempt to obey, but he was stiff as a board, still. Then, as if to spite him, he felt Eren becoming even more tense in his arms.

So it was his task to keep Eren's mind busy then.

"So, brat, let's continue from where we left off." Levi started talking and his words made Eren raise his head in order to glance at him, but Levi placed it straightaway where it had been using the tip of his fingers. He thought he heard Eren let out a huff in protest and for some reason, Levi felt the corner of his lips wanting to curve up. He heroically resisted this urge. "My full name is Levi Ackerman and I've been working in this particular building for seven years. As a senior partner it really shouldn't be my job anymore, but because the CEO is a fucking _dick_ ," A small chuckle. Levi turned his head to look at Eren only to see him with his eyes closed, a small smile on his lips. "It's part of my job to make sure people get their shit done. I have a crazy secretary, but I don't want to fire her. I think the receptionist has a crush on me, though I don't even like pussy."

He made Eren let out a laugh this time and he couldn't help but smile a little himself.

Levi told himself that all this time he was uttering random shit in order to keep Eren from thinking about his claustrophobia and not because he might actually enjoy talking to him. After roughly 10 minutes Eren told him he was feeling better, so he proceeded to take his head off Levi's shoulder. Levi was about to argue that you never know with these kinds of things and he shouldn't rush and if he wanted to rest his head on his shoulder some more -and he'd proceed to rest his cheek on Eren's head, that much was obvious- he'd be perfectly fine with it.

He stopped himself when he became aware that it wouldn't be 100% for the brat's sake but more for his own.

Though he was right, Eren was feeling a little better. Along with the occasional nods, chuckles or comments concerning things Levi said, Eren actually started sharing a little about himself and that was when Levi learned that he had a best friend called Armin who was studying to become a doctor and an adopted sister, Mikasa, who was dating 'a horse' -Eren's words, not Levi's- and Eren was apparently not fine with it.

Once in a while Eren's eyes would drift in order to look at the walls and every time he saw signs his anxiety would return, Levi was careful to immediately pull him out of it.

"Oi, brat, look at me." he told him once he saw Eren fidgeting a bit. He thought that maybe Eren didn't hear him again, but the said brat muttered something under his breath that apparently wasn't meant for Levi to hear, but he heard it anyway.

"I am..." Eren said, and Levi's head snapped to look at him only to see Eren instantly avert his look, staring at the hands on his lap instead, a faint redness in his cheeks.

Levi shook his head. Kids these days... If Eren liked him, then why the hell was he acting all coy about it? Was he into the chasing thing because, in his humble opinion, he thought it was bothersome more than anything else. Maybe he was just getting old.

When the whole situation had been solved and they were finally about to get out, relief went over Eren's features while Levi couldn't help but think about the person that assured him the damn elevator was fixed and how he was going to strangle the poor bastard. Fucking amateurs. What were even the odds that he'd get stuck two times in the same elevator over the course of one month? Apparently, very high.

"Are you okay?" Levi asked him once he and Eren were outside of the elevator. The kid gave him a nod and although Levi felt like pressing further, he didn't pry. Instead, he settled on asking something that had been bothering him for quite a bit. "What are you even doing here anyway? You don't strike me as the businessy type." Eren immediately gave him a sharp look and Levi guessed that he wasn't the first person to say something like that based on Eren's appearance.

It looked like the brat was going to snap at him, but then Eren's look evened out until one could say he was smirking at him. Levi raised one of his eyebrows at the sudden change of demeanor, but kept silent.

"Well, _my_ full name is Eren Yeager, you know, the CEO's son. And from Monday onward I'll be seeing you around, Levi." With that said, the brat turned on his heels and walked away, careful to glance at Levi over his shoulder with a smug grin. His hands were in his pockets as he walked all nonchalant, like he owned the place -the catch was that he technically _did_ own it- and judging by the direction he was headed, he went for the CEO's office.

Levi didn't move from his spot, as he became painfully aware while watching Eren's back that he called the CEO a 'fucking dick' in front of Eren. But, if anything, Eren seemed amused so he wasn't about to lose his job. The brat wouldn't do that to him... right?

Levi felt a headache coming at him, so he started massaging his temples. He took a deep breath before he headed to his office.

He knew he should have called in sick that day.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments give me life. If you leave me a comment I shall love you forever!
> 
> EDIT: Okay, so, I know I said I'll try (and I really, _really_ tried) but there won't be any continuation to this. Trust me, the fact that I couldn't come up with anything that I thought you would enjoy reading saddens me more than it saddens you. But, I hope you enjoyed this nevertheless! ^_^


End file.
